AThe Sydney Morning Herald Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Saturday, July 01, 1972 - Page 1
Bobby Fischer Fails to Leave U.S.
New York, Friday. — An Icelandic Airlines flight to Reykjavik, Iceland, scene of the world championship chess match set for Sunday, left New York early today without the American challenger, Bobby Fischer aboard.
Fischer, whose unpredictable behaviour has frayed nerves in official chess circles, was seen at the airport late last night. While a bodyguard blocked a photographer, Fischer hurried from the building, ran across a car park, and disappeared.
He was expected in Reykjavik days ago, but several times canceled plane reservations.
In Amsterdam, the president of the World Chess Federation, Dr. Max Euwe, said yesterday that Fischer could lose his rights to play for the world title “not only this time but perhaps forever” if he failed to show up. (The match begins at 2 a.m. Monday, Sydney time.)
Almost overlooked as the Fischer drama unfolds, world titleholder Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union is waiting and ready in Reykjavik.
Waiting also in Reykjavik is a $A53-a-day hotel suite, and, if Fischer wants them, the loan of a $42,000 house, the hotel chess, the best automatic transmission car on the island, and a refrigerator full of apple juice, yoghurt, ginger ale and bananas.
